Framtidsfabriken som fick slut på batteri : En fallstudie av Norrans nyhetsrapportering om Northvolts uppgång och fall

Sammanfattning

In the essay we examine the occurring themes and central players in the news reports regarding the battery factory Northvolt that was established in Skellefteå year 2017. To meet the purpose, a framework consisting of agenda setting, green growth hegemony, media logic and framing were relied on. The material concludes a total selection of the news articles under a period of nine years from the local newspaper Norran. During which years Northvolt goes from a heroic company that will save Skellefteå to being punctuated by an inevitable bankruptcy. Using data/digital methods we could process the material of 2 863 articles from the 7th of march 2017 to the 25th of april 2025. In Norrans coverage we found four themes; “The company Northolt”, “The workers and the factory”, “The societal expansion of Skellefteå” and “The green transition”. The central players were Peter Carlsson, founder and former CEO of Northvolt, and Lorents Burman, social democratic municipal council in Skellefteå. Our findings show that Norran initially highlighted the possibilities of Northvolt in their coverage, rather than the problems and risks. In 2023 there was a shift in the coverage when the problems and risks exceeded. Regarding the central players it could be seen that Peter Carlsson was a much more prominent character in the early years where he is framed as a “green hero”. In the later years he becomes radio silent and press communicators speak on his behalf. When it comes to taking accountability neither Peter Carlsson nor Lorents Burman takes the blame for “the fall of Skellefteå”. Initially Burman is an advocate for Northvolt but when things go south he blames the company and the state for jeopardizing Skellefteås future. In conclusion, the establishment of Northvolt was initially framed as a national interest that would help Sweden become a leading country in the green transition. But as time went by it was framed as a problem for Skellefteå. What started as a success story became a failure and there is a shift in the framing of Northvolt – from national pride to local struggle.